Previously packages of a continuous strip of material have been formed using a technique known as xe2x80x9cfestooningxe2x80x9d in which the strip is folded back and forth to lay a series of strip portions back and forth with each portion being folded relative to the next about a line transverse to the strip. The technique of festooning has been available for many years and is used in packaging many different types of material but particularly material of a fibrous nature such as fabric, non-woven strips and the like. In this technique, the strip is conventionally guided into a receptacle such as a cardboard box while a first reciprocating movement causes portions of the strip to be laid across the receptacle and folded back and forth and a second reciprocating movement causes the positions of the portions to be traversed relative to the receptacle transversely to the portions. Normally the receptacle comprises a rigid rectangular container at least partly of cardboard having a base and four upstanding sides.
In an alternative arrangement the strip is packaged by rolling the strip into a cylindrical pad having a width equal to the width of the strip or is wound into a cylindrical traverse package having a width greater than the width of the strip.
In all of these arrangements, the intention is to limit the number of splices in the strip since these slices cause the material at or on either side of the splice to be scrapped. Splices are necessary in joining the master rolls from which the strips are slit.
The above applications disclose details of an improved method of forming a package of a strip for supply of the strip comprising:
providing a strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface;
forming at least one stack of the strip;
in said at least one stack repeatedly folding the strip back and forth so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
arranging the strip portions thus to form a plurality of first fold lines at one end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed end of the stack;
arranging the strip portions thus such that the first surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent portion and such that the second surface of each portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent portion;
arranging the strip portions with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions;
arranging the strip portions of the stack with the first and second surfaces thereof generally parallel to a top surface and bottom surface of the stack;
arranging the strip so as to be continuous through the stack between a bottom strip portion and a top strip portion;
placing the entire top surface and the entire bottom surface of the at least one stack under compression in a direction at right angles to the top surface and the bottom surface of the stack;
and engaging the package by a packaging material which maintains the compression.
The package generally includes a plurality of stacks side by side and the stacks include tail portions at the bottom for splicing to another stack to form a continuous strip. Such splicing therefore necessarily increases the number of splices in the finished package.
One particular end use for strips packaged in this way is in the assembly of products using the strip and one or more other layers. The strip is thus covered by at least one layer preferably including one or more top and bottom layers so that the strip itself is not visible by the end user. The strip has characteristics such as absorption or acquisition of fluid which are consistent over the surface and would be compromised if the surface were covered or partly obscured by any material. One example of such products is for use in moisture absorption such as for feminine hygiene products or diapers. The strip is thus formed of a layer of a moisture permeable material which carries an absorption powder or the like. This is assembled with covering layers and stitched or otherwise attached together to form the completed product. The strip is a non-woven material or more particularly an air laid cellulosic material.
The presence of splices in the strip used in such products up to now has been problematic in that the splices which are formed by taping the two ends together using an adhesive strip which can interfere with the characteristics of the strip. The manufacturers have in many cases overcome this problem simply by scrapping or culling the product formed at the splice and at least one product on either side of the splice leading to the abandonment of at least three products for each splice. This material is therefore waste leading to increased cost and in most cases the waste cannot be recycled leading to costs for disposal. It is also necessary to cull the splice in cases where the product is used in the health industry since any materials incorporated into a product of this type must be approved for such use to avoid any possibility of an unacceptable reaction by the user.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved product using a strip of this type and an improved method for forming the product.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a product comprising:
a plurality of layers of sheet material at least a first layer and at least one second layer defined by a strip of material;
the layers being assembled in parallel overlying relationship to form a body in which the strip is covered by the first layer;
the strip of material having a splice therein defined by two ends of the strip of material;
the ends being held together by a plurality of yarn stitches passing through the strip of material and bridging the ends of the strip of material;
wherein the splice is arranged such that the strip of material has a surface characteristic at the splice which is substantially equal to that at other locations thereon and is not compromised by the splice
Preferably the ends of the strip at the splice are arranged in butting relationship without overlap and the ends are held in butting relationship by a plurality of yarn stitches passing through the strip of material and bridging the ends of the strip of material.
Preferably the at least one first layer includes a top layer and a bottom layer and the at least one second layer is arranged between the top and bottom layers.
Preferably the layers are assembled to form a body such that moisture can penetrate through the at least one first layer to access the second layer and wherein the characteristic of the second layer is defined by a response of the second layer to the moisture.
Preferably the second layer is arranged for absorption of the moisture and wherein the second layer comprises a strip of a carrier material and an absorbent material carried thereby and wherein the splice is arranged such that the absorbent layer has a level of absorption at the splice which is substantially equal to that at other locations thereon and is not compromised by the splice
Preferably the carrier material comprises an air laid cellulosic material.
Preferably the stitches define a first set of yarn portions bridging the splice on one side of the carrier material and a second set of yarn portions bridging the splice on an opposed side of the carrier material.
Preferably the stitches define at least some yarn portions which bridge the butting ends and extend substantially at right angles to the butting ends
Preferably the stitches define a first set of yarn portions bridging the splice on one side of the material and a second set of yarn portions bridging the splice on an opposed side of the material, both the first and second set of yarn portions including at least some of the yarn portions which extend substantially at right angles to the butting ends.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a product including a strip material comprising:
forming a strip of a material;
forming a plurality of longitudinally spaced splices in the strip of material;
each splice being formed by:
cutting two ends of the strip of material;
bridging the two ends by a plurality of yarn stitches passing through the strip of material;
and moving the two ends to a position in which the ends are arranged in butting relationship without overlap;
the ends being held when moved into the butting relationship by the plurality of yarn stitches;
cutting the strip into strip portions some of which include one of the splices therein;
and assembling each of the strip portions into a respective body including a plurality of layers of sheet material including the strip of material.
Preferably at least some of the longitudinally spaced splices are formed when the strip is slit to strip width by taking two ends of the strip and splicing the ends across the width of the strip.
Preferably at least some of the longitudinally spaced splices are formed by providing ends of two webs each having a width greater than that of the strip, splicing the ends of the webs across the width of the webs and slitting the webs into a plurality of side by side strips, the slitting being effected through the spliced ends at right angles to the ends.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a package a strip material comprising:
a strip of a material;
the strip of material being folded back and forth to form a plurality of overlying strip portions;
the package having a width greater than a width of the strip;
the strip of material being continuous and including at least one splice in the strip of material;
the splice being defined by two ends of the strip of material;
the ends being held together by a plurality of yarn stitches passing through the strip of material and bridging the ends of the strip of material.
Preferably the ends of the strip at the splice are arranged in butting relationship without overlap and wherein the ends are held in butting relationship by a plurality of yarn stitches passing through the strip of material and bridging the butting ends of the strip of material.
Preferably the strip has a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface; there is provided a plurality of stacks of the strip; in each stack the strip is repeatedly folded back and forth with the strip continuous through the stack between a bottom strip portion and a top strip portion so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line; the strip portions of each stack thus being arranged to form a plurality of first fold lines at one end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed end of the stack; the strip portions of each stack thus being arranged such that the first surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent portion and such that the second surface of each portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent portion; the strip portions of each stack being arranged with the first side edges there of lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack; the strip portions of each stack being arranged with the first and second surfaces thereof generally parallel to a top surface and a bottom surface of the stack; the plurality of stacks being arranged side by side with the side edges of the strip portions of each stack effectively immediately alongside the side edges of a next adjacent stack so that the stacks are free from intervening rigid container walls.